Why do self defence at all?

Discussion in 'Self Defence' started by Tom bayley, May 12, 2017.

  1. Tom bayley

    Tom bayley Valued Member

    The quote bellow was posted in response to a thread about how to train in self defence. In the context of the original thread I personally found it "unhelpful". But it does raise a question which is worth talking about. Why train self defence?


    My personal opinion is that the benefits of self defence training are principally in assertiveness and improved self esteem both of which impact on the chances of being picked as a target of an attack and on the ability to avoid, diffuse, or control an attack.

    to me self defence really is "the art of fighting wi out fighting" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_Ycw0d_Uow

    Assertiveness and improved self esteem also have impacts on both physical and financial health.
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2017
  2. PointyShinyBurn

    PointyShinyBurn Valued Member

    What fraction of your training partners pick up injuries in a year?

    What fraction of people you know who don't train get injured in fights every year?
     
  3. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Maybe people should do it because they like it :)
     
  4. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    Tbh training to fight gives the same confidence booster. Self defence is such a small reason to train in martial arts I think.
     
  5. Thomas

    Thomas Combat Hapkido/Taekwondo

    I would say that I keep training in self defense mostly to 'keep the mindset' and for the fun/physicality of the training.

    When we get into the strikes, locks, throws, etc, we always reinforce the training with a discussion on level of force and legal issues and, of course, how we can avoid getting to this level. The hope is that this will encourage and strengthen our awareness (and avoidance).

    From a practical point of view...
    1. The biggest and most obvious thing most students will use is the falling training. People fall down... this helps keeps them safe.

    2. Thinking from a self defense point of view hopefully will make people think about where they go and what they do, e.g., avoiding being glued to your phone wandering about cluelessly or parking/hanging out in areas where there is no escape route and so on. Hopefully this will prevent most of the times where you may need the physical side.

    3. Practicing the physical side (with scenarios) builds confidence, not just in the techniques but also in self esteem.

    3. If they end up in a situation where they need the physical skills, hopefully they will be practiced enough from class and ready to apply it (within legal limits ). Better to have trained and not needed it than to have not trained and need it.


    So... long answer short - we train for the possibility that we may need it and for the fun and camaraderie of the school.

    If you crunch the numbers and think that you could do something else and never need the 'self defense' skills, you may be right and probably should do so. Thankfully I find it a fun way to spend time and so far (knocks on wood), the skills have been beneficial.
     
  6. bassai

    bassai onwards and upwards ! Moderator Supporter

    This , kind of .
    I now train purely to get better at the 2 arts I train in rather than to become some kind of fighting machine , however , I do need to see some kind of realism/applicability in the techniques that I do , though I do understand the need to follow a syllabus in tmas so some techniques I purely train for grading purposes.
     
  7. YouKnowWho

    YouKnowWho Valued Member

    Self-defense is more than just to protect yourself. It also includes to protect your love one as well. When someone beats up your wife, it's not proper for you just to "run away".

    There is a big difference between:

    1. You can do it but you don't want to do it.
    2. You want to do it but you can't do it.

    MA training is as simple as trying to achieve 1.
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2017
  8. Rataca100

    Rataca100 Banned Banned

    It does boil down into pressure testing people. Self defence based fighting basically pressure tests everything and they usually provide good functional fitness. Note i have not been blessed with the ability to do a self defence orientated class/course/school, so my info is just picked up from other peoples accounts.

    And the rest other people have posted. The thing some people/things leave out is preemptive strikes and situations where you have to be aggressive/offensive and can't run. For example, if someone comes into your house, YOU have to move them out of your house. There is no running in that situation. Shouldnt really be called self defence as just to survive you nee dto learn how to attack as much as defend but i could be word picking.


    Plus, if you enjoy it and its a good exercise, you learn something useful and you have something which helps you stay fit, like i said earlier basically a repeat with some rambling. :p
     
  9. PSYCHOLinguist

    PSYCHOLinguist New Member

    I see the martial arts as a hobby and/or lifestyle just like any other... stamp collecting, athletics, gaming, etc. The big difference, in my mind, is that the martial arts foster a skillset that MIGHT prove useful in one of the worst scenarios you can possibly find yourself in. Stamp collecting can't claim that. Also, on the note about lifting or running being better at preserving your life, any martial arts training worth its salt will establish at least a basal level of fitness.
     
  10. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    SHOULD establish...not will
     
  11. neems

    neems Valued Member

    Yeah pretty much,there are lots of other reasons to train but the self defence aspect is massively overstated imo.

    Train with weapons and live in a free country where you can carry them if you want to be able defend yourself.

    'self defence' anywhere like where I live basically means compromising on your own freedom,e.g avoiding a lot of areas a lot of the time.
     
  12. David Harrison

    David Harrison MAPper without portfolio

    I'm not following your logic here.

    I'd bet money that weight lifters and runners sustain more injuries than people who go to self-defence classes.

    If 95% of SD is soft skills, surely SD has a much bigger transference of skills into everyday life than running or lifting weights?

    (Not to mention long term joint damage from repetition of specific movements, or the risk of cardiac damage from endurance running.)
     
  13. neems

    neems Valued Member

    You don't need to be running marathons or attending powerlifting meets to see the health benefits of running and lifting.

    My grandfather still trains 3 times a week and he's 87,I doubt he's ever benched more than 120 pounds or ran more than 8 miles,but it's very clearly benefited him.

    Though he is reduced to power walking these days.
     
  14. David Harrison

    David Harrison MAPper without portfolio

    Of course.

    But how can we know the benefits of awareness and soft skill training? How can you come up with stats for how many people who've done that training avoiding having their pocket picked, or diffused a mugging at the interview stage?
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2017

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